LANDLORD AND TENANT (SCOTLAND) —PROCEDURE UNDER THE CROFTERS ACT.

asked the Lord Advocate, Whether he is aware that landlords in every county to which the Crofters Act applies have taken proceedings to make the crofters bankrupt, and to deprive them of the benefit of the Act; and, whether the Government will introduce a measure to amend the Crofters Act?

I am not aware that in every county such steps have been taken, and I am not aware that the intention is to make tenants bankrupts; but, certainly, some proceedings have been taken, and the hon. Member has sent me a telegram indicating that proceedings have been taken which, if carried to the end, would result under the Act of 1886, in rendering those tenants what we call notour bankrupts. The Government intend to introduce a Bill immediately in "another place," and push it rapidly through its stages, to prevent such a result, which certainly was not intended.